Comment system for interactive graphical designs

Abstract

Various methods and systems for collaborating on the specification of an interactive graphical design are provided. An exemplary system comprises a graphical design environment. The system also comprises a note interface in the graphical design environment that displays a note field for accepting a text string from the user. The system also comprises a design player that renders the design. The system also comprises a discussion interface that: (i) is displayed in the design player consistently with the design; (ii) displays the text string from the user as a note; and (iii) accepts a comment from a second user regarding the note. The system also comprises a data store accessible to the graphical design environment and the design player. The comment is displayed in the graphical design environment after being accepted in the discussion interface.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system comprising:
 a processor instantiating a graphical design environment that provides a drag and drop interface to a user, wherein the drag and drop interface allows a user to add a widget to a design; 
 a note interface in the graphical design environment that displays a note field for accepting a text string from the user; 
 a design player that renders the design from a markup language format after the design has been exported from the graphical design environment and stored as an intermittent coded representation of the design in the markup language format, wherein a set of at least two widgets that include the widget are exported with the design; 
 a discussion interface that: (i) is displayed in the design player consistently with the design; (ii) displays the text string from the user as a note; and (iii) accepts a comment from a second user regarding the note; 
 a scrollbar for the discussion interface, wherein the scrollbar allows the second user to scroll through a set of notes that are each associated with different portions of the design while viewing a fixed portion of the design; 
 an interface element that: (i) is in the discussion interface with the note; 
 and (ii) when selected, places the design player into a state wherein a selection of the widget by the second user links the note with the widget, wherein the state exposes the set of at least two widgets for selection by the second user as a selected widget; and 
 a data store accessible to the graphical design environment and the design player; 
 wherein the comment is displayed in the graphical design environment after being accepted in the discussion interface; and 
 wherein the text string and comment are: (i) stored in the data store along with an indication of the selected widget; (ii) read from the data store and rendered by the design player from the markup language format; and (iii) read from the data store and displayed in the graphical design environment from a design environment format. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first workstation that instantiates the graphical design environment; and 
 a second workstation that instantiates the design player; 
 wherein: 
 the design player is a web browser; 
 the design is a web site design; and 
 the second workstation provides a comment field in the discussion interface for accepting the comment from the second user. 
 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a link in the comment; 
 wherein selection of the link navigates the user to a point of the design associated with the comment. 
 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an expansion icon displayed in the discussion interface with the note; 
 wherein selection of the expansion icon hides and displays a set of comments associated with the note; and 
 the set of comments includes the comment. 
 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a selection reticle displayed by the design player that surrounds the widget; 
 wherein the selection reticle is displayed when the note is selected in the discussion interface. 
 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the comment is displayed in the graphical design environment in real time after being accepted in the discussion interface. 
 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a selectable icon associated with the comment; 
 wherein selection of the selectable icon changes a status of the comment. 
 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7 , wherein:
 selection of the selectable icon changes the status of the comment to closed; and 
 the graphical design environment displays the comment using struck out text when the status of the comment is closed. 
 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the text string is restricted such that it can only be edited by a predetermined set of users. 
 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a subscription management interface that provides a subscription type selection option to the user; 
 wherein the comment is delivered to the user via email after being accepted in the discussion interface according to the subscription type selection option; and 
 the subscription type selection option includes a real time or daily delivery option.